It makes sense that I would work a lot with brides, because well, I am also a wedding photographer and already have a lot of clientele in that area! And it’s fabulous! I know for a fact that most of my brides spend about a year killing themselves to get “fit” for the wedding day. And they also do a lot of other beauty maintenance rituals too. I mean let’s face it, brides work hard to look dang good on their big day! And sure they will have fabulous wedding photos to show for it (especially if they work with me as their wedding photog, duh!!!) but when you stop to think about it, there’s so much more that should be documented during this special time in a woman’s life beyond wedding photos! Show off that rockin’ bod– I mean show it off uncovered! In about 40 years, you will be glad you did! You can tell your grandkids what a little vixen you used to be! And also don’t forget the other fabulous benefit of a bridal boudoir shoot– a very sexy wedding gift to your partner! When you hand off that album of saucy photos, you can be sure you will get your honeymoon started off right! Ooooh yeah.

So anyways, I am very excited to share with you one such bridal boudoir session, taken at my Santa Barbara Boudoir Marathon in March. I loved the bride’s veil by Petal and Thorn! And the fabulous make up was by LunaBella! Enjoy

Just gorgeous!!!

FIERCE! Work it girl!

Those eyes! What a stunner! Your soon-to-be-hubby is a lucky man!

Check out these simply sexy photos and you’ll see what I mean!

The light was just amazing!!

Smokin’ hot.

Nothing sexier than a girl between the sheets…

HOT!

Enjoying yourself and laughing is seriously sexy.

THAT FACE. Oh my word, hearts are stopping across the interwebs for that face!

RIDICULOUS! Nothing hotter.

But every so often, I meet a client who is already one super-duper brave confident babe. A client who probably shows me more about courage than I could ever hope to show her. This gal, let’s call her Miss X, is one such lady. Miss X rides her horses every weekend and is athletic. She is an open book and  tells it like it is. She is a cancer survivor and works with an amazing charity to help other young adults facing cancer get through it. Oh and she has a full time job. Wow. If ever there was a woman who deserves to be captured just how she is, as her beautiful brave self, it is this gal.  I was definitely super honored that she chose me to be the one to capture her sexiness, her light, her vulnerability, her all around bad-assery. She told me from the get go that she always wanted to do this type of shoot and she was doing it just for herself! LOVE.  I know as brave as Miss X already was, that it still took some guts to do this shoot! And I hope it just strengthened her “bravery muscle” even more! I am so pleased with the results and honored to share all the sexy sides of this bad ass lady!

Brown eyed beauty.

Fierce shoes. Fierce vixen.

LOVED that she brought some of her horse-riding gear to the shoot! So frickin’ fun!

These two images pretty much sum her up. Low key girl in her riding boots. Who can glam it up and steal the show at a moment’s notice! LOVE that dual part of her personality!

GORGEOUS!

Thank you so much for letting me capture all that you are! You inspire me girl, and I am honored to know you!

Seduction. Mystery. Two things that go hand in hand. As women, we know that sometimes the best way to seduce a man is to have secrets. You don’t want to reveal too much too soon. You want to create mystery. Leave him wanting more. That’s all part of the art. So I LOVE the idea of using a sexy, dramatic mask as a prop in a boudoir session. An ornate mask. A stunning figure. A confident woman. Yet you can’t quite see all of her, but you can see just enough to know she’s got it going on. That, right there, is juicy.  And after all, isn’t seduction a masquerade in a way?

Here is a collection of images from one of the sessions that plays with this concept. I absolutely ADORE how they turned out! I am so lucky to have such creative clients that bring killer props to our shoots! This stunning boudoir mask is from the ever fabulous Kristin of Petal and Thorn. I loved photographing this mask so much I may have to buy one for my prop collection! Hair and make up was by LunaBella, my favorite hair/make up team in Santa Barbara!

Enjoy these first photos and please stay tuned for more!

Yep, I had a fabulous weekend! How about you?

Here is a little tiny tease of what went down at my boudoir party…..stay tuned for more!

I absolutely adore boudoir photography. I am so so passionate about this art form because I have seen the real ways it changes lives. Every single lovely woman I have photographed comes into the session nervous and not fully confident in her sexiness. She knows she’s got a fire in there…but she’s too afraid to let it burn. We as women have so much we face, so many images and ideals we’re bombarded with. It’s easy to be afraid that we’re not enough. It’s easy to be scared to just let go. But what blows my mind is that every single client is able to just let go in front of my camera… and this little sassy vixen comes out. And by the end of the session a new confident woman stands before me! It’s inspiring to see such transformations.

So I always wonder why there are so many women still on the fence about boudoir photography?

Maybe it is because there are so many myths about the art form floating around… I’d like to debunk 5 boudoir myths right here, right now.

Boudoir Photography is for brides only.

It is true that boudoir photography is a common thing for brides to do right before the big day, and that the photos make a great wedding night gift. And, yes, because I work also as a wedding photographer many of my boudoir clients are also brides. But the real truth is that boudoir is not simply for brides! It’s for women of all ages! I have had many clients who are already married or in committed long term relationships and give these pics for anniversary, birthday or holiday gifts. I also get a lot of moms and older women who want to do a shoot! It’s never too late to do boudoir!

Ok…well then Boudoir Photography is for women with a significant other. If you’re single there is no point.

ABSOLUTELY NOT. More than anything, I believe that boudoir photography is a gift to yourself. It is also an investment you make in yourself, much like a spa day or any other pampering experience. It is a way of pushing your limits, going out of your comfort zone so that you can grow and discover parts of yourself you never knew you had in you. It’s celebrating who you are in this exact moment of your life and owning it. I have a lot of women who do these sessions because they are at a crossroads in life or have just gone through a major transition. And the session is all about embracing all that you are and CELEBRATING it. Loving yourself. Seeing yourself in a new way. If you want to feel sexy, loved, empowered, confident then boudoir is for you.

Boudoir Photography is only for women who are skinny, fit and completely comfortable in their bodies and in front of the camera. Basically, women who do these sessions look like models.

NOPE. Most women who book a session are just regular women. They are BEAUTIFUL. But they are not perfect women with perfect model-like bodies. The truth is, even models don’t look like models since so many of the images we see are so highly retouched. But that’s not the point. The point is every woman who comes to me says the same thing “I am not photogenic. You’re gonna have your hands full with me because I’m not as pretty as the other women you work with.” But what they don’t understand is that’s how everyone feels. It is my job to pose you in a way that flatters you. To light you in a way that flatters you. To bring out your personality and emotions. To shoot you from flattering angles using the right lenses. That’s my job! Your job is to show up, be present, and push yourself even if you’re a little nervous. I work with women of ALL shapes and sizes. It’s not your shape or size I am interested in. I am interested in making you look and feel like the most confident, beautiful woman on Earth. So don’t worry if you don’t think you have the right body type for the shoot. Worry doesn’t get you anywhere. But going out of your comfort zone always leads to something beautiful.

Boudoir Photography is cheesy and/or tacky.

Back in the 80′s, yes, boudoir photography was pretty cheesy and tacky. And maybe you’ve stumbled upon a few sites where the photography feels a little cheap, trashy or yes even dated/tacky. There’s styles out there for all different tastes it’s true. But what I am in LOVE with is modern boudoir. Tasteful, classic, glamorous. When I shoot a session, I’m being inspired by the client but also by fine art, cinema, and fashion photography. It’s the art I look to for inspiration that leads to the fresh, clean, crisp, vibrant photos I am known for. I also get inspired so much by the props and outfits my clients wear. I love demure, vintage but I also LOVE bold, edgy, in your face. A little burlesque. A little vixen. To get a better idea of my style and what makes me scream “OOOH LOVE,” you should follow me on Pinterest.

Boudoir Photography could be dangerous…being photographed in the buff with someone I don’t know? Eek!

I totally understand the worry and fear that can accompany boudoir. Which is why it is so important to me to give my clients a safe, secure, female only environment for the session. First, I always get to know you before the session by having a phone consultation, chatting through email, and following each other on Pinterest and Facebook. Second, I always ask that you bring a girl friend with you to the session. I think it helps you to feel safe and secure. Third, I always work with an all female hair and make up team. Again, I just want the session to be a comfortable place. And I know for myself, I would just not be comfy in my skivvies with a man who’s not my husband! So I wouldn’t want to put my clients in any situation I myself wouldn’t be comfy with. I totally understand the concerns, but I do think if you can get to know your photographer before the shoot and also bring a trusted female friend with you, you will know you are in safe hands!

Well… there it is… five boudoir myths debunked… feeling better about the whole thing now? Good!I thought so!

And now, I have a big announcement that I am SO excited about!

On March 16, 17, and 18 I will be holding a Boudoir Party in Santa Barbara!

I can’t think of a more fun place to have the ultimate girls day, pampering experience then in my new hometown, and resort town, Santa Barbara CA!  Come up for the day, spend the weekend, or perhaps if you’re a local just try something new! I promise it will be the best flirty good time you’ve ever had.

Spaces are filling up fast as I announced this on my facebook page last week!

Please email me at info@ashleightaylorphotography.com for more details!

xo,

Ashleigh

FEELING INSPIRED? Contact Ashleigh | View More Of Her Online Portfolio | Follow Ashleigh on Twitter | Become a Fan on Facebook | Stalk on Pinterest

To be quite honest, I never even heard of Christa Meola before last weekend. But because I really enjoy boudoir sessions and do a good amount of sexy b-shoots each year, I figured I should tune in when I got a notice from CreativeLive saying they had a special Boudoir Photography Workshop airing just in time for Valentine’s Day. And Ohhhhh Mannnnnnn am I glad I did! Because it! was! amazing!

My first impression of Christa was that she was my kind of gal. Not too conservative. She has a vivacious, carefree attitude. She has colorful language (yep, the second she accidentally used a curse word I knew we could be homies)! But more importantly she’s all about female empowerment. Hello, I’m hooked.

Then I checked out her work and I ADORE it. Very editorial. Very bold. Very saucy. Yes.

I ended up buying the download of the 3 day workshop because I had a few other things going on so I couldn’t watch the whole thing live. But from what I’ve already seen…I was so impressed! She talked lighting, business, making boudoir the ultimate spa-like, pampering experience… which I SO agree with! And she also demo’d a LOT of shooting in all types of situations and body types. I loved watching her shoot and do her thang! And not to toot my own horn, but I was very pleased when she explained how she poses and directs her clients because that’s exactly how I do it! And I never went to a boudoir workshop before or had seen anyone else shoot boudoir except during my own sesh with my boudoir photographer!

I walked away from thee live online course with so much more knowledge about how to make my boudoir pictures better, but more so how to give my clients an even better boudoir experience…

…And I walked away INSPIRED.

So just so you know, I am going to be starting a separate boudoir blog-site soon. And I’ll  be having a HOT marathon session here in Santa Barbara for a HOT PRICE… in March… Details to be posted soon, but contact me now if you are interested

Believe it or not, the holidays are fast approaching!! Time to start thinking about holiday gifts!! It’s always so hard to think of something new to give your sweetie, isn’t it? A video game? Books? Movies? Clothes? A watch? Ho-hummm….

This year you can be a little bit naughty and also verrrrry nice by giving your love the gift of YOU! What would be a better surprise than some sexy photos tucked under the tree?

If you are interested in giving the gift of boudoir to yourself and to your significant other this holiday season, let’s chat!

In order to receive your disc of images by December 7th, you need to schedule your boudoir session before November 30th! Contact me for pricing details and date availability! Space is limited.

And, if you are still not convinced here’s what some of my past boudoir clients have said about the experience:

“Ashleigh is TRULY amazing to work with. The most bubbly energetic person! I felt so comfortable when she walked into the room, I felt like I was with a Best Friend. She was professional and yet so friendly. I truly LOVE the work she does and the pictures came out truly amazing.” – Jennifer

“Oh Ashleigh!  There are no words.  These are beyond amazing!  I am so excited and can’t wait for him to see them! Thank you, thank you, thank you!” -Melissa

“You did such an terrific job! Thanks again! Your eye is amazing!!!” – Miss K

“I had such an amazing time!!! All I keep thinking about is other reason or excuses for me to do this all again! I love my sneak preview!! Your work is awesome!”-Sherry

It is hard to be a woman. There is pressure to be beautiful, thin, a domestic goddess but also have a great career. And if you are in love or married, you also have to be a good wife, and one day a rockin’ mother, and also you have to take care of your parents too. Just thinking about it is exhausting. With so much expected of women, and often times being under recognized (did you know even in 2011 women still make only $0.75 for every $1.00 a man makes doing the same job??), it is easy to understand why we sometimes feel insecure or down on ourselves.

ENTER BOUDOIR.

Boudoir photos can help you see yourself in a whole new way. It takes a lot of courage to get in your skivvys and glam it up for a camera. The mere act of confronting this fear of exposing yourself and just going for it is empowering. As a female boudoir photographer, it’s so important to me that my clients feel secure. That they know they can be truly who they are around me and know I won’t judge them. In fact, I think it’s fabulous when my clients show me their true selves. Who you are is sexy and beautiful, and I want my clients to know I see them that way.

When my clients see their photos they often flip out! “Is that me?!!” they often ask! When they see how beautiful and sexy they really are, BOOM! That confidence jumps back in! And I’ve been told from many clients that they feel so proud and strong every single time they look at the photos.

The client who’s photos are featured below even wrote me and said “I’m not sure who looks at the pictures more often- me or my husband ”

To me that says it all. Boudoir isn’t just something you do for your significant other. It’s something you do to celebrate yourself, your womanhood, and to remind yourself that you are amazing, sexy and glamorous inside and out EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

This is why I am a boudoir photographer. To help women feel empowered, strong, confident and sexy. To remind them how fabulous they are inside and out. To celebrate womanhood. I do believe I can change the world one woman/one boudoir shoot at a time. Yes I do!!!

One of my most recent shoots was with the fabulous Sherry! I absolutely love her! She was so fierce and came with a whole entourage! Her sisters glammed her up– doing her hair & make up! And her bff acted as wardrobe stylist, perfectly adding just the right accessories to each look! And Sherry brought her inner diva to the table and totally worked for my camera. It was a very fun day and I’m so happy with the results!

Check out this fun boudoir session!

We started out a little sweet but things quickly turned saucy!

You betta work!

This final outfit was my fave! Love the teal color and the bolder make up Sherry sported. I think she was feelin’ the look too!